Into The Woods
by Malthazar Lord of Shadows
Summary: An exercise in the Field doesn't go as planned for Ruby and Weiss
1. Into The Woods

Yup. RWBY fanfic Enjoy

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**Chapter 1 - Into the Woods**

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The nearly silent hum of the airships engines was the only sound that pervaded the thick silence surrounding the only two passengers. It had been this way for half the ride, ever since Yang and Blake had been dropped off in their assigned area. Yang had given her a wink as she pulled on her shades and hopped out of the still flying airship. Blake had simply rolled her eyes as she followed her partner out the open bay doors with a quick bye.

Nervous silver eyes slid to eye the frowning woman to her left.

Weiss sat rigid in her seat, staring straight ahead at nothing in particular, resolutely refusing to look at her partner.

"So..." Ruby started tentatively. "How hard do you think this is gonna be?" She asked, daring a glance at the heiress.

Weiss remained unmoving and mute. Not so much as blinking, adamant on pretending the younger girl wasn't there.

Ruby slumped down into her seat, staring at the tops of her combat boots. It had been a couple of hours since Weiss had spoken to her, though before that she had been yelling. Ruby wasn't sure which was worse, the yelling or the silent treatment. Both killed the hooded leader of team RWBY.

She knew why the heiress was mad at her, she'd knocked over and broken several bottles of her special dust, mixing it with glass and rendering it useless. Still, Weiss had never been this cold to her, other than the first time they had met. She sulked quietly next to the fuming heiress. Weiss's temper had been rather short the past couple weeks and every day it seemed to get worse, even worse, was that it all seemed to be aimed at Ruby.

She looked up as they felt the ship descending. The pilot turned around to look at his two last passengers.

"This is your stop ladies." He said to them as the ship came to a stop in a clearing. "Good luck." He smiled. Weiss rose and sauntered over the now open doors not waiting for her partner. Ruby sighed before shouldering her pack and following. The second they stepped away the ship began to rise up and away, back to Beacon.

Ruby watched it disappear into the distance before turning to find Weiss walking away. She sighed silently to herself before turning to follow.

They remained that way for about twenty minutes before she ventured to speak to heiress again.

"What do you think we should do first, find food or build a shelter?" She asked as she glanced around the thick foliage of the forest that surrounded them on all sides for miles. After a minute Weiss said nothing and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"We need to have a shelter first." Finally came the curt reply. Ruby perked up now that her partner was at least speaking to her again.

"Right. I'm on it!" She ran ahead of Weiss a cloud or Rose petals scattering in her wake.

"Ruby!" The irate woman called after her long gone partner. She sighed exasperated.

Weiss rubbed at her temples as she recalled the words of Professor Goodwitch.

"_As a field work exercise and test of your ability to work with your partner you will be dropped at off at points in the Emerald forest where you will remain for 5 days. As professional working hunters and Huntresses you will often be required to spend extended amounts of time in the field. Survive and in 5 days you will be recovered."_

Weiss groaned to herself. An entire 5 day of just her and Ruby surviving in the forest. Just perfect, and now the dunce had run off on her own in a Grimm infested forest.

She followed the direction Ruby had vanished, carefully taking in her surroundings. The trees in the section of the forest were so thick they filtered out a lot of light, casting dark shifting shadows over everything. The eerie stillness made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Ruby was still nowhere in sight. Weiss wouldn't admit that a tingle of worry had started to work its way up her spine till she spotted the trail of rose petals left in the wake of Ruby's semblance. She followed them not far to a small clearing where a large cropping of rocks rose out of the ground; a large person sized crack in the rock drew her attention.

Ruby's pack sat open in the grass besides the opening, a small chunk of burn dust sitting next to it. Weiss frowned as she stopped at the entrance, looking into the darkness.

"Ruby?" She called into the seemingly endless void of black. A faint light deep within began to grow brighter until Ruby stood in front of her grinning widely, a roughly made torch burning in one hand.

"How about this Weiss? It's not very deep, it's dry and empty and Grimm can't fit through the hole." She suggested. The heiress stood silent for a minute causing Ruby's grin to fade before she crossed her arms with a slight huff.

"It will do, I guess." She huffed, causing the younger girls grin to return full force.

"Great, you set up camp and I'll collect wood for a fire." She handed Weiss the torch before zipping off back into the foliage.

"Ugh..." Weiss grunted angrily to herself as petals dropped to the ground in the wake of her hyperactive dunce of a partner.

Sliding off her pack to sit in the grass next to Ruby's she adjusted her grip on the torch as she took a few steps into the mouth of the cavern.

It wasn't all that deep. Maybe 30 feet and about half that wide. The stone floor was a little rough but flat enough that they could make do for sleeping on it with their blankets. Ruby was right though; it was dry and would keep them sheltered for the duration of the exercise at least.

A loud cluttering racket made the heiress jump. She spun around to find her smiling partner had drop a pile of sticks and logs down onto the stone floor creating a loud echoing crash throughout the cave.

"You dolt, don't scare me like that!" She chastised, glowering at Ruby while trying to brush away the feeling of the chills running up her spine.

"Sorry, Weiss." She sheepishly apologized with a small smile.

Weiss pursed her lips before resolutely spinning around to continue her examination of the cave and look at anything other than her partner.

Ruby deflated a little at the return of the cold shoulder but she knew this was just how Weiss was. She had a temper and could be cold and callous for sure, but she was also a reliable partner and a good friend.

She started pulling together a ring of stones to hold the firewood, occasionally glancing up at Weiss as she moved around the cave setting up her sleeping pallet.

Ruby frowned to herself. She wanted to be positive about this but if she were honest, the way Weiss had been treating her lately stung.

She wasn't even sure what had happened. Two weeks ago things had been great, better than ever in fact.

Something however had changed somewhere round the heiress's birthday.

Weiss hadn't said anything about the upcoming date and it had only been while searching on the terminals in the library that Ruby had found the date in question.

She hadn't been looking things up about the heiress or anything...really...

Using stealth and cunning she didn't even know she possessed she had planned out a surprise party for her partner, inviting team JNPR and a few upperclassmen that they occasionally hung out with.

To say Weiss had been surprised was the understatement of the year. Ruby had never seen the white haired girl smile so brightly and it made her stomach flip that she had been able to put that expression on her face.

She couldn't put her finger on it, but sometime after that Weiss had been steadily getting colder toward her. She didn't understand what she had done wrong but she couldn't bring herself to ask the heiress about it directly either.

She didn't notice she had been sitting, staring into space until she focused on the fingers snapping in front of her face.

"Ruby. Remnant to Ruby!" Weiss was calling to her. Silver eyes focused on the hand in front of her face. She blinked and looked up at the frowning face of her partner.

"Oh, sorry Weiss." She smiled sheepishly. "I was thinking and just kind of...zoned out." She shrugged with a smile. Weiss made a sound somewhere between a groan and a grunt and Ruby would have laughed except the disgruntled noise was of course, aimed at her.

She glanced over to find that Weiss had hadn't set up just her own sleeping pallet but hers as well, her bag sitting next to it rather than where she'd left it sitting outside the mouth of the cave.

That was something else that confused the hooded huntress to no end. Weiss would be cold to her but then she would do something thoughtful like bringing her a snack when she'd been studying all afternoon or setting up her pallet and bringing her things inside.

It was all very confusing and more than a little frustrating for her. Really she wanted to stand up and yell at her. Ask her why she was being a jerk and then turning around and being nice, ask her what she had done or what she hadn't done. Ruby Rose was many things but a mind reader wasn't one of them.

She finished placing the wood in the now finished fire pit before standing up and brushing off her knees.

"Camp is all set up." Weiss informed her. Ruby nodded.

"Great, now we just need food and water." Before she could zip off back into the woods Weiss clamped a hand down on her shoulder.

"We need to stay together, Ruby. The forest is full of Grimm, were safer together." She said like it was the obvious thing in the world and it was, actually.

The leader of team RWBY was simply having reservations about being alone with the heiress for long periods of time. She would mess up and Weiss would yell at her and she just wanted Weiss to stop yelling at her.

"Right, sorry." She nodded and watched as Weiss walked past her, shimmying out of the narrow open of their temporary home. Ruby followed.

They had a few hours till dark and had collected enough water to last them a few days. Food was the real issue.

They hadn't been allowed to bring any, as it would partially defeat the purpose of the exercise. It was as if they'd been stranded.

"What are we supposed to do for food?" Weiss wondered aloud as they walked. She'd yet to see any kind of fruit tree or plants they could eat.

"We'll just have to hunt." Ruby hummed. Icy blue eyes turned disbelievingly to her partner.

"Do you even know how to hunt?" Her brow hiked in question. Ruby grinned, puffing up.

"Yup, Dad taught me." She hooked a thumb toward herself, smiling proudly. "Just follow me, Weiss!" She jumped up into the nearest tree startling Weiss who followed her quickly.

They could hear the distant cries of Nevermores and the howls of Beowulfs as they moved The Emerald forest was full of wildlife, both of the safe and the not so safe variety.

Both girls were completely silent as they slunk around the forest. On a search for a meal. Ruby dropped onto a branch and held up a closed fist. Weiss came to a silent stop beside her.

Motioning toward the forest floor. Weiss followed her finger and partially hidden by the underbrush was a deer.

The quiet click of Crescent Rose unfolding halfway into its riffle form was the only sound coming from the huntress. Weiss watched her in silence as she aimed up a shot. The loud crack of the rifle shot echoed out across the forest, shattering the silence. The deer gave a wild jerk before falling dead onto the dirt. The empty shell casing hitting the bark made a quiet plink.

"Dinner" Ruby smiled at her partner proudly. Weiss rolled her eyes in turn but could admit at least to herself that Ruby did know how to hunt and had secured there dinner.

"Efficient" The heiress said causing Ruby to beam at the close enough complement. Weiss quickly turned from her and jumped down to the forest floor.

"I don't suppose you have a knife?" She asked as she walked around the carcass. Ruby dropped down in front of her and glanced at crescent rose for a moment before dismissing the idea.

"We'll have to drag it back to the camp." Her weapon folded back into its dormant form as she walked around and grabbed the front legs. Weiss made a grunting noise but didn't argue as she grabbed the back legs and then began dragging it back.

They were nearly there when the earlier howling of Beowulf's was now much closer. The girls stopped looking around into the trees.

A series of low deep growls vibrated the air and the a quick clicking of Crescent Rose as it unfolded to it full imposing glory and the quick swish as Myrtenaster slid from its place at Weiss's hip.

Burning red eyes watched them from the darkness an orchestra of growls and snarls the prelude of what was to come.

The tension in the air snapped as a snarling Beowulf leapt from the bushes, razor sharp fangs poised to kill.

A flash of red and black accompanied a swift crunch as the first of many fell dead in the dirt ad Ruby's feet. The tide unleashed as the pack lunged from the places.

The tell tell clicks of Myrtenaster's spinning barrel alerted Ruby to Weiss's incoming strike. She jumped, launching herself into the air as a blast of fire engulfed the immediate are. Killing several of the Grimm.

Weiss flew upwards.

"Ice flower!" Ruby called spinning Crescent rose, barrel pointed downward as Weiss thrust her rapier downward. The glyphs flashing into existence as Ruby rapid fired through them blasting the surrounding Grimm with the explosive rounds of ice.

Loud cries of pain rose up from the creature's throats as they were caught in the blasts. Some were frozen as the few that remained scattered.

A quick spin of her scythe shattered the frozen Beowulf's, sending chunks flying. They landed with a muted thump, eyes flickering back and forth. When nothing stirred Ruby smiled as she flicked her wrist, snapping crescent rose back into its collapsed form and storing it under her cloak.

Weiss scoffed as she flicked the rapier, sending tiny shards of ice from the blade.

"They were no match for team RWBY." Ruby laughed as she threw an arm across Weiss's shoulders "Or half of team RWBY, anyway." She giggled.

Weiss shrugged off the hand but smiled.

"You act surprised." She commented with a quirked brow.

Ruby just grinned and opened her mouth to speak but whatever she was going to say was cut off by the roar of a Beowulf as it leapt from the bushes.

The girls startled as they leapt apart, out of harm's way.

Or at least Weiss thought as a garbled cry of pain tore its way out of Ruby's throat as she hit the ground with a thud.

"Ruby!" Myrtenaster's barrel clicked as it spun to the green dust cartridge and with a pointed thrust sent the Beowulf sailing through the air and through several trees, killing it.

"Ruby!" Weiss called as she jogged over to where her partner was kneeling on the ground.

"Are you alright?" She held her hand out. Ruby took it with a strained smile as she stood.

"I'm fine. It just caught me by surprise is all." She assured. Striking a pose as to convince Weiss who pursed her lips before sliding her weapon back into its resting place at her hip.

"We should hurry, they might come back and it will be dark soon." She turned back to the dear, a little singed from her initial attack but still intact.

She grabbed one end as Ruby grabbed the other and they hurried back to their camp before the sun could set or another pack of Grimm could show up.

Once they had shimmied back into the cave Weiss dug a small burn crystal from her own pack and sending a spark of her aura through it sent out a small burst of flames, igniting the fire pit Ruby had set up and folded her legs underneath sitting by the fire, watching Ruby skin and gut the deer in gruesome fascination.

He face twisted in disgust as she watched.

"Did your father teach you that as well?" She asked around the bile threatening to rise up in her throat.

"Yup, He said Yang and I needed to know how to survive in the wild. I didn't think I'd ever actually need it but…here we are." She chuckled and gave a single shrug before focusing on the task at hand.

"Must you do that in here?" Weiss made a face as Ruby looked up at her.

"If I do it outside it'll attract other animals and probably more Grimm." She explained with an apologetic look. Weiss's nose wrinkled at the thick coppery smell that now filled the cave but didn't comment. Ruby frowned but continued to work.

It only took an hour or so before Ruby was carefully turning chunks of meat on a stick over the open flame.

Once their dinner was gone and the remainder wrapped tight in the skin and pushed to back of the cave for breakfast. It wouldn't stay good long.

Weiss sat on her pallet running a cloth down Myrtenaster's blade as Ruby looked out the opening of the cave, starring up at the stars she could see through the tree tops.

Weiss glanced up from cleaning her weapon to stare at Ruby's back as she gazed out into the forest. A rumble of guilt twisted in her stomach but she was quick to stomp it down with a scowl.

"I don't think this is going to be so bad." Ruby's quiet voice floated into her ears. She didn't dare to glance back over at the younger girl she simply grunted a noncommittal response and returned to cleaning her weapon more enthusiastically then necessary

Ruby sighed noiselessly as she glanced over her shoulder at her partner before turning back around to look into the darkness. The only sound was the cracking and popping of the fire and the occasional metal clink as Myrtenaster touched the ground.

When she finally turned back around Weiss was laying on her pallet covered in her blanket and the gentle rise and fall of her chest indicating sleep.

Ruby frowned as she quietly walked over to her pallet across the fire from Weiss and lied back starring up at the ceiling, glancing at the back of the heiress head.

Across from the fire Weiss laid quietly, blanket tucked under her chin and starring at the cold stone wall as she listened to the quiet rustling of Ruby getting comfortable in her pallet.

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Hope you liked it guys! Next chapter will be out soon. enjoy!

**~Malthazar LOS**


	2. Words Unspoken

**Chapter 2- Words unspoken**

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It was the early afternoon on day three that Weiss began to suspect something was up. Ruby had been acting odd. Odder then usual anyway.

The day had begun the same as before, Weiss rising with the sun as was her habit and having to nudge her partner into consciousness.

"Ruby, Wake up." Weiss gave her shoulder a gentle tap. Above the blanket her partner was currently cocooned within. She didn't even twitch at the touch. Weiss frowned before grabbing said shoulder though still gentle and giving her a light shake.

"Get up, Ruby. You can't sleep all day." She humphed. The girl made a small grunting noise and Weiss released her but after a moment of silent waiting and still no response she growled to herself and stood walking over to what little remained of a pair of rabbits the hooded huntress had caught the day before.

She grimaced as she unwrapped the deerskin Ruby insisted on keeping to hold their food.

'_Maybe I can turn it into a leather cloak for you.' _She laughed but it quickly fell away when she'd grunted and said that she wasn't wearing a cloak.

The memory twisted the knife of guilt in Weiss's stomach but as so many other times before she ignored it.

She slid the raw meat over the some sticks and set it to cooking over the now rekindled fire. The smell soon began to fill the small space and small grumbling noises began coming from the cocoon of blankets but there was no movement.

The red and black haired girl was normally a heavy sleeper but this was ridiculous. She took the now fully cooked breakfast off the fire, setting it aside and stalking back over to her lump of a partner. She knelt down and gave the lump a rough shake.

"Wake up Ruby!" She shook until the blanketed girl began to move around on her own.

"Hmmugh...five more minutes' dad…" She grumbled as she turned over away from the heiress. Weiss huffed and shook her shoulder again.

"I am not your father and the sun is already coming up. Wake up, Ruby." She insisted.

With a low grunt the younger girl rolled over and blinked bleary sleep filled silver eyes up at her partner.

"Weiss…?" She mumbled tiredly.

"Get up and eat before it gets cold." She said before standing up and brushing off her skirt before turning back to the fire to eat her own meal.

Ruby forced herself into a sitting position, blanket still draped around her like her signature red cloak. She glanced around at her surroundings from under her blanket and yawned. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes as she remembered where she was exactly.

She took a deep sniff of the air and saliva started to pool in her mouth and her stomach grumbled.

She glanced over to see Weiss quietly eating her share and spotting the untouched stick by the fire, waiting for her, steam still wafting from it. She eyed her companion with less than concealed confusion, not that it mattered as Weiss was engrossed in her own food or maybe just her thoughts, either way she wasn't paying the slightest bit of attention to Ruby now that she was awake and moving.

There she went again, doing something nice for no reason other than because she could. It was maddening. There was seemingly no rhyme or reason when or why Weiss chose to do these things, they always took the youngest member of team RWBY by surprise. Though they did often precede or follow an outburst of anger or some form of Weiss's cold shoulder.

Thinking about it only made the tired huntress in training feel more exhausted.

Without bothering to untangle herself from her warm cotton shelter Ruby scooted over towards the fire. Weiss glanced over and was immediately reminded of a caterpillar. She rolled her eyes but didn't comment.

Ruby reached a hand out and snagged the tasty looking morsel before retreating with it back into her blanket. Weiss frowned. Ruby was not a morning person by any stretch of the definition but she was being oddly lethargic even for Ruby.

It took only a few minutes for her to scarf down her breakfast and finally emerged from her blanket with a long languid stretch and bounced to her feet so Weiss brushed it off as simple tiredness from two nights sleeping on the cold hard cave floor.

"That was great. Thanks, Weiss." She beamed at her partner. Weiss just nodded and turned back to the fire suddenly interested in the flickering flames that had begun to die out again from a lack of kindling.

Ruby took notice of this. They were going to need some more before it got dark. She voiced her thoughts to her partner who nodded silently as she stood.

Ruby Shuffled through the caves entrance stood atop the rocks surveying the immediate area but nothing dangerous pricked at her senses. She was ready to jump from the rocks and disappear into the woods in a blaze of rose petals but thought better of it as Weiss came to stand behind her.

"Come on slowpoke." She teased eliciting a quiet growl from the heiress as she followed.

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They encountered a pair of Ursa not far from there camp on the way back and while this battle had gone off without a hitch Ruby had been rather… sluggish. It was honestly rather disturbing to see the red hooded leader struggling.

She'd never seen the hooded girl so slow or sloppy in battle before.

When both Ursa lay dead she spun around on Ruby fully intent on lecturing the younger girl on her performance but stopped as she watch the other huntress leaning on her scythe as she tried to catch her breath.

Lips pulled back over clenched teeth as she appeared to force herself straight up.

Icy blues eyes narrowed with unspoken worry. When words finally did pass her lips it wasn't the angry ones she had been prepared to spew at the other girl, instead it was a quiet question.

"Are you okay?"

Ruby jolted as she stood up, facing her partner with a wobbly smile.

"Who me? Of course! I just didn't sleep very well last night is all, I'm a little tired." She waved off her partners concern as she stored Crescent Rose beneath her cloak and picked up the bundle of sticks she had collected as she walked past her partner toward their camp. Weiss watched her hop over the Ursa corpses as she made her way back to the cave. Weiss watched her for a moment before following but couldn't shake the feeling that something was just off with her partner, she couldn't put her finger on it but something was quite definitely up.

When she was back at the caves entrance Ruby was squeezing back out.

"We need more food and water. Do you want to split up? It won't take as long that way." She suggested. Weiss frowned with Ruby acting so odd Weiss didn't relish the idea of letting her partner wander off into the Grimm infested forest by herself.

"I think we should just get it together." She decided.

"Alrighty" Ruby nodded with a smile as she hopped down the rocks and into the forest with Weiss following behind her.

'_Damnit' _Ruby mentally swore as she walked through the knee high grass. _'Before she didn't even want to be in the same room with me and now I can't get a moment alone.' _ Ruby cursed her luck as they the path they had made the day before, still littered with the bodies of Grimm which helped keep others away.

It was a struggle to stay upright. Every step felt like a shot of lightning was running through her. She chewed on her bottom lip. They only had two days left before there exercise was considered a success and they received a passing grade. She could hold on till then. She had to. She refused to give her partner another reason to hate her.

She chanced a shy glance back at Weiss who was looking off into the forest, scanning for any danger that could be closing in on them.

She zoned out as she stared at the white haired heiress.

Weiss…really was beautiful. Her face warmed at the thought, not that Yang and Blake weren't, but Yang was her sister and she couldn't love the golden haired woman anymore if she tried. Blake had that dark mysterious thing going for her but Weiss…There was just something about her partner that drew her in.

She was graceful and smart and just…well, beautiful. She could be cold and calculating but she had a soft side. Granted many people didn't see it, the other three members of team RWBY didn't see it often either. It was a quiet unexpected thing that happened when you least expected it and if you blinked you'd miss it, but it was there none the less.

"What?"

Ruby blinked, looking into icy blue eyes filled with annoyance. She realized she'd been starring. Her head snapped back around.

"Nothing…Just seeing if you were still following." She lied through her teeth. Weiss made an annoyed noise the scythe wielder was quite familiar with.

"Where else would I be?" She scoffed.

Ruby's shoulders slumped at the tone of Weiss's voice.

'_What did I do?' _She wondered. _'What did I do or not do that makes you hate me?' _ She bit hard on the inside of her cheek to keep the angry and desperate words from spilling past her lips. She stared straight ahead, focusing on the pain that shot through her leg with every step. Letting her mind focus on anything other than the throbbing pain in her chest, though even the lightning pain that accompanied her steps didn't help to dull it.

It didn't take long to hunt down another deer. A single sniper round ended it quickly and painlessly. This time they didn't have any problems with Grimm as they carried it back, not to say they didn't have problems, only this time Ruby was the cause of them. She constantly stumbled and tripped, seemingly over her own feet.

Weiss could feel her temper rising quickly at the blunders as Ruby just gave her that small apologetic smile and they would walk a few more feet before it happened again, rinse and repeat. By the time they made it back to the cave she stumbled on the rocks dropping the animal completely causing Weiss to trip.

"Ugh!" Weiss let out a frustrated noise as she pushed herself to her feet, glaring down at Ruby who was still laying in the grass looking up nervously at the angry face scowling down at her.

"You complete utter dolt!" She exploded, thrusting her fisted hands down at her sides. "Why can't you do anything right! What is wrong with you!?" She screeched before whipping around and storming into the cave.

Ruby stayed unmoving in the dirt, her hands fisted into the dirt. Tears pricking at the corner of her eyes as she started to tremble with the repressed sobs building in her throat.

'_Why do you hate me?' _ The thought repeated over in her head like a broken record. She stayed that way for what seemed like forever before she pulled herself up onto her knees and hiked up her skirt.

The gash across her outer thigh was an angry purple red and had swelled even bigger since she'd looked at it the night before. It was hot to the touch. Streaks of red spread out from the gash and nasty yellow pus leaked from it. It throbbed just to look at it.

She covered it back up and forced herself to her feet despite the screaming pain in her leg that protested the action. She walked inside the cave to retrieve her hunting knife from her bag without glancing over at Weiss who was no doubt ignoring her anyway.

She silently exited the cave and started working on making it edible. A deep burning building up behind her eyes as she willed the tears away no matter how much they wanted to keep falling.

She tried to think of nothing else but what her hands were doing but the same vision of Weiss glaring down at her in absolute fury had burned itself into her brain and was pushing itself to the forefront.

Her grip on the knife turned white knuckled as she cut, leaving deep gouging marks in the flesh, taking her frustrations out on the dead creature.

All of this had been a mistake.

Ozpin had made a mistake; she wasn't fit to be a team leader.

She had made a mistake; for thinking that she was ready for this.

Fate had made a mistake.

The moment she and Weiss had made eye contact in the Emerald forest on initiation day had been nothing but one giant mistake.

_Mistake_

She stabbed at the carcass.

'_Mistake…mistake…__**MISTAKE**_**!'**

Each word angrily thought like a curse was punctuated with a thrust of the blade.

She sat there panting, eyes closed tight against the rest of the world and trembling.

'_All I ever wanted to do was be a huntress. To protect people and keep the world safe...like mom did…but how can I when…_ _I can't even do this right?'_

"What's wrong with me?" She breathed. The quiet stillness of the forest offered no reply.

* * *

"Ugh!" Weiss slammed the heels of her palms against her eyes as they burned, threatening tears.

'_Why, why did you say that?!' _She berated herself. She had been annoyed by Ruby's constant tripping but nothing deserving of her exploding on her partner, or saying such terrible things.

'_Why can't you just be normal?' _She screamed at herself furiously, holding her head in her hands. The guilty twisting in her stomach would not be ignored this time as Ruby's crushed face ran rampant behind her eyes.

The pain was keen as a razor as she hunched over against the hard stone wall. Why couldn't she just express herself like a normal person?

She looked at her partner and a multitude of things rose to her tongue but anything other then what she wanted to say came out instead. Usually angry spiteful things. It was almost better when she could say nothing at all and just coldly ignored her, but not by much at all.

"Why?" She pitifully asked herself as she slid down the wall and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Why can't I just say it?" She mumbled into her knees as she thought about her birthday a few weeks ago.

"_Why do you always insist on going to the tower in Vale when we need to make a call?" The heiress sighed as she followed her nearly skipping partner back to their dorm room. "You could have easily called your father from one of the terminals in the library and without my help." _

"_Aww come on, Weiss. The tower is really cool and I wanted you to meet my dad." She glanced over her shoulder at the older girl who was following her in a more dignified manner. Weiss simply rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. _

"_Why didn't your sister come?" She wondered to the other girl._

"_Yang had some stuff to do. She said she'd call him later." Was the short reply. _

_Weiss accepted the answer as they made their way back to the room in comfortable silence._

_When they stood in front of their door Ruby gave a few quick knocks which made the heiress hike a brow in silent question. Ruby was not the knocking kind. She often burst quite literally through the door. _

_They'd already had to replace it once when the sisters had got into a tickle fight of epic proportions in the second semester of their first year. So far it had remained intact but then again they were only halfway through the first semester of their second year._

_Weiss was positive she'd be replacing it again within the next two and a half years. _

_When there was no answer on the other side Ruby opened it and stepped in. Weiss followed her._

_It was pitch black and eerily quiet._

"_Ruby?" _

_The lights flashed on._

"_Surprise!" _

_Weiss jumped as their friends sprung from the dark._

"_W-What?" stuttered._

"_Happy Birthday!" They chorused. Weiss looked around in astonishment at her friends. Yang, Blake and Ruby along with team JNPR and team SSSN who were in town for a field trip._

"_Did we surprise you, Ice Queen?" Yang asked with a grin, throwing her arm over the other girls' shoulders._

_They all waited with baited breath as Weiss looked around at assembled group before she broke out into a beaming smile._

"_Very surprised." The group broke out into cheers and a loud garbled version of the birthday song as they brought out a large white cake decorated with her families signature snowflakes._

_As they settled down Weiss turned to Blake who stood at her side._

"_How did you know it was my birthday?" She asked curiously. Blake just smiled and glanced behind her. Weiss followed her gaze to see Ruby Talking animatedly to Yang while she stuffed cake in her mouth._

"_She planned all this out herself, Yang and I just helped bring everything together." The cat Faunus smiled before walking over to Sun who was calling her over to where he and Neptune were arguing about something. Weiss felt her chest constrict as she gazed at the hooded girl._

_When Yang left her sisters side to run over where Nora was harassing Jaune, Weiss took the opportunity to walk over to their team leader and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned around and smiled brightly at her. Icing sticking to her chin._

"_Hey Weiss!" _

_The Heiress couldn't help but smile at her partner. _

"_Can I talk to you outside for a second?" She asked._

_Ruby blinked, confused but nodded._

_The party continued loudly as they walked out into the hall closing the door behind them, muffling Jaune's scream._

"_What's up? Are you not enjoying the party?" She asked sadly, silver eyes looking up her like a kicked puppy. _

_Weiss couldn't stop herself from wrapping the other girl in her arms and holding her tightly, her chin resting on Ruby's shoulder._

_Ruby froze solid from surprise or something else Weiss didn't know, but after a moment she wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging back._

"_It's the best birthday I've ever had." She said with complete honesty. "I love it." She slowly released her though she honestly just wanted to keep holding her. "Thank you, Ruby." She smiled down at her. _

"_You're welcome, Weiss…" Ruby smiled timidly in return, cheeks tinting a slight pink "Why shouldn't we celebrate your birthday? That's...when you were born and I mean…well I'm glad you were born!" She waved her hands awkwardly. Weiss couldn't help but laugh._

"_How did you know it was my birthday? I never told you." She wondered._

_The pink on Rubys cheeks turned a brighter scarlet as she ran her hands nervously through her hair._

"_Oh, well….i..?"_

_Before she could answer the door popped open and Yang stuck her head out._

"_Hey, get back in here you two. Weiss needs to open her gifts before Sun and the guys have to get back to their hotel." _

"_Coming, Yang." Ruby Said as her sister disappeared back inside the party. 'We should…go get back.' She gave a nervous smile before rushing back into the room in a flurry of rose petals. _

"_Weiss simply smirked and followed her back in. _

_It was later after the party had ended and team RWBY were laying asleep in their beds Weiss here a quiet whisper._

"_Weiss" It was quiet almost unnoticeable._

"_Weiss" It came again, a little louder. Light blue eyes blinked open slowly. _

"_Hmm?" She hummed quietly to whichever one of her teammates was whispering at her._

"_Over here." The whisper came again. With a tired grunt Weiss turned her head to see a small wrapped box dangling from a string from Ruby's bunk hanging above her head._

_She pushed herself up and grabbed gently took the palm sized box in her hands. The string immediately disappeared back to the bunk above her. _

_She looked over the modestly wrapped box for a moment before slowly unwrapping it, unaware of the Anxiety radiating off her leader above her as she listened to to the quiet crinkling of the paper being stripped away from what lay within._

_Weiss opened the box and stared wordlessly at what it contained. _

_A bracelet. _

_A simple silver plate bracelet, each curved ever so slightly to fit the curve of her wrist, but sharply engraved into each plate was the insignia of a member of team RWBY. With gentle fingers Weiss plucked it from the box and immediately felt the tug on her skin of engraving on the back. She flipped it over and saw a single word carved onto the back of each plate._

'_So You Never Forget' _

_Her fingers clutched the cold metal tightly as she came to the sudden realization what the tight feeling in her chest was that she felt lately every time she looked at their leader._

_A deep startling affection bloomed in her chest._

"_Thank you, Ruby." She whispered. _

_There was no reply from the bed above her but she knew she had heard._

Weiss curled even further into herself

She'd tried every day after to convey her feelings but she couldn't make the words pass her lips. She tried and couldn't and then took her frustrations out on the one person she didn't want to hurt the most and then she couldn't force out the apology her partner was due. Not without explaining why she behaved so.

The bracelet seemed to burn against her skin where it sat beneath her sleeve.

Dinner was an unbearably quiet affair. Both girls sat silently fully aware of the others stony silence and didn't know what to say.

An apology sat like a rock in Weiss's throat. Stuck with fear of and uncertainty.

Ruby was wrapped up in her own thoughts of her partner and the near unbearable pain in her leg to put up a happy face. Every minute seemed to stretch an eternity for her the longer Weiss went without saying anything or even acknowledging her presence. Her eyes trained on whichever task was at hand. Never noticing the light blue eyes occasionally trained on her. Trying to gear themselves up and give the much needed apology that Ruby needed to hear.

Just as she thought you could say it her mouth would open and then…nothing. Her nerve would leave her and she'd slump further back against the wall berating herself for her cowardice.

It wasn't a matter of pride at this point. The angry words she hurtled at herself had destroyed that a week ago.

It was fear.

Fear that after the awful reprehensible way she'd treated her. Her partner, leader and best friend that Ruby wouldn't forgive her. Not that she could blame her.

She wasn't sure she could forgive herself at this point.

Dinner was eaten and the immediate area outside their camp was checked for danger before they went to sleep all without a word spoken between the two.

Sleep didn't come easy to either.

They both laid awake long into the night. Listening to the quiet sounds of the other breathing and the quiet crackling of the fire.

Weiss faced the wall watching the orange light flickering against the stone grow dimmer and dimmer like her hopes of telling Ruby that she was sorry, till the light had finally faded away completely and left them both starring into the darkness that encompassed them both.

It suffocated them.

* * *

Chapter two Whoo! I hope you guys enjoyed it! its 1:40am ill go back through and fix mistakes later.

**~Malthazar LOS**


	3. Hurt

**Chapter 3 – Hurt**

* * *

Weiss was the first one awake, which wasn't unusual, what was though was that given the amount of light filtering into the cave the sun had risen a while ago. How long had she been asleep? It didn't really matter. She was still tired. She'd been awake long into the night, at some point simply falling unconscious.

What she sleep she had gotten was not pleasant. She wouldn't go so far as to call them nightmares but they certainly hadn't been pleasant.

She grunted quietly as she pushed herself up. She was sore and felt exhausted, bodily repercussions of her emotional state. She sighed silently to herself and rubbed the heels of her hands against her tired eyes in a vain attempt to rid herself of the heaviness in them.

Looking around there dimly lit camp she saw Ruby still swathed in her blankets.

That was even odder.

Ruby wasn't usually the first to rise but she never slept this late for certain. Her first instinct was to go over and wake her up but immediately thought better of it and instead dug through her pack for her burn dust crystal. With it in hand she cleared away the pile of ashes in the pit and filled it with some of the wood they'd collected the previous afternoon. Practicing in her head the words she wanted to say to Ruby when she woke, if she would hear them.

Once the flames were licking at their cooking breakfast and filling the space with the delicious smell did her own stomach growl angrily. Their meals were small meager affairs but it got the job done. She was simply hungrier more often.

Once she judged them as cooked she set them aside and decided she needed to wake Ruby up or she would possibly sleep all day.

Soundlessly she walked around the fire to Ruby's pallet and knelt down next to the sleeping girl and gave her a light shake.

"Ruby" She called quietly, listening for any signs of wakefulness. Instead all she heard was the girls breathing, but not the slow even breathing of peaceful sleep.

It was wheezy and uneven and something struck deep within the heiress.

"Ruby?" She asked as she gently pulled the blanket away from her face and inhaled sharply.

Her eyes were closed in sleep but she looked anything but peaceful.

She was flushed and her face was twisted in pain. Her breathing came in quiet but wheezy erratic pants.

Weiss reached up to press a hand to her forehead and immediately jerked it back as if burned.

'_She's burning up!' _Her heart began to race as she gently turned her partner over to lay flat on her back and gently untangle her from the blankets. She gently lifted up one of the younger huntress's eye lids but instead of shining silver eyes she saw glazed dull grays.

"Ruby, what's wrong?" She asked aloud, resting her hands against the girls burning face, hoping she would open her eyes and answer her, but no such luck.

The cool skin pressed against her fevered face did cause a stir but nothing that gave Weiss hope.

'H-hh…hot…" she husked. Weiss jumped up and ran to the bottles of water they had collected and rummaged through her bag before immediately returning to Ruby's side with the water and small cloth bag that held extra dust cartridges for Myrtenaster. She dumped the cartridges to the floor and soaked the bag with water before pressing it against Rub's sweating forehead, hoping it would provide some relief.

"Ruby, can you hear me?" Weiss asked pressing her cold hands back against her cheeks, hoping to provide extra comfort to her.

"W...Wei…ss" Managed to slip past her lips. Her breathing hitched and Weiss thought she felt her heart stop when it did. A quiet moan of pain was the only other sound her leader could make.

A twitch of movement in the corner of her eye had the white haired girl turning to look at Ruby's hand, fisted into her skirt.

To concerned to be embarrassed she gently pried Ruby's death grip off the fabric and peeled back the fabric, meeting some resistance as it peeled off her skin.

Weiss dropped the black fabric to slap a hand over her mouth as bile rose unbidden into her mouth. She turned away, hunched over, taking deep shaky breaths through her nose.

'_Oh god' She_ stared down sightless at the stone floor. Shoulders lurching as she gagged.

'_No, stop. Pull it together Weiss!' _She inhaled deeply and swallowed back the bile with difficulty. Though the light trembling remained.

She turned back to Ruby and more prepared this time gently lifted up the fabric to stare at the horribly ugly wound there.

A gash perhaps 6 inches long on her outer thigh, though it was hard to tell.

It was a furious red and swollen near shut. Streaks of red ran from it across her thigh and it bubbled with sickening yellow pus. Weiss swallowed, holding back the vomit once more.

It was infected, horribly infected.

'_When…?' _

She immediately remembered the Beowulf attack a few days ago, the one that had surprised them. Ruby no doubt didn't have her aura up to protect her and Beowulf's and Ursa especially were notorious for the wounds they caused becoming infected due to the fact that they attacked with the same forelegs they walked on.

What could she do? Ruby needed medical attention right now, but it would still be a day before they were picked up. Her mind raced trying to come up with something.

"My scroll!" She jumped up and ran to her bag.

The academy needed a way to locate them in the forest so they'd been allowed to take their scrolls as a tracking device.

And though the academy frowned upon it due to the nature of the exercise, in dire situations they were allowed to be used as an emergency call.

She dug it out and switched it on. A red 'X' flashed on the top of the screen indicating no signal.

"I'll be right back Ruby." She assured her fevered partner whose only response was another shaky breath. She squeezed her way out of the cave and climbed up the rocks desperate for any kind of signal, but it continued to flash with a red mocking 'X'

She jumped up into the nearest tree, desperate.

The 'X' stopped flashing and a small spinning circle flashed, indicating it was searching for the nearest signal.

Weiss waited on baited breath as it turned.

A red 'X' flashed again.

"Damn it!" She screamed throwing the device down where it crashed into the rocks, exploding into a thousand useless pieces.

She seethed, turbulent emotions rolling in her gut. Ruby couldn't wait another day. She needed help now. She looked out at the miles of trees that separated them from Beacon and chewed on her lip.

Even if she carried her it would take hours to get back to the academy, it would be well and dark by then. In a forest full of hostile Grimm and she couldn't fight them off and protect Ruby in the open, much less in the dark

No to mention Weiss didn't know if it was safe to move her. She could end up only make things that much worse.

She pressed a hand to her forehead, thinking. There was no other choice. They would have to wait till tomorrow. Moving Ruby was too uncertain and she was at least safer in the cave then out in the woods.

A frown set deep on her mouth. She couldn't stand the idea of sitting around and waiting but she wouldn't take any chances. Not with her partners life.

She dropped from the tree and squeezed back into the cave. Ruby hadn't moved an inch from where Weiss had left her.

She knelt down next to her and took the cloth from her forehead. It was hot already. She wrung it out and soaked it again before placing it back on her forehead.

"Ruby, why didn't you say anything?" She mumbled quietly, pulling her skirt up, getting the dirty fabric off it would at least help a little she hoped.

There wasn't much she could do at this point. They were both dirty and she had no medical supplies. Touching it much less cleaning it was out of the question.

Weiss drug her hands down her face. This was what was wrong with her. Why she'd been tripping up, sluggish, tired. There was no way Ruby hadn't been aware of the wound.

So why hadn't she said anything? Then again…

'_Why didn't I ask?' _ She growled to herself.

This was her fault. If she had just told Ruby how she felt rather than ignoring her and being cruel maybe she would have told her about the wound and they wouldn't be in this situation. She turned around and rummaged through the pile of dust cartridges till she found the pale blue one.

She pulled the end off, careful not to spill any of the powdered ice dust. And poured a bit into the bottle she was using for Ruby. A thin layer of frost formed on the outside of the bottle.

That would keep it good and cold for a few days. Water added to it would take on the much cooler temperature as well.

She set the dust vial out of the way and gazed down at the cut with a frown.

Ruby mumbled something and her eyes trained on her contorted face, distant grayed eyes looking at her. She was barely conscious.

"W…ss" She mumbled.

"I'm here Ruby." She reached out and grabbed the other girl's hand. It was clammy and hot but she didn't release it. There was a faint twitch of her fingers but not much else.

"Th…ty" She mumbled. Weiss leaned down, putting her ear closer to her partners' mouth.

"What do you need, Ruby?" She listened quietly to the raspy half-conscious voice.

"Thirsty" She breathed into the heiress's ear.

Weiss stood; pulling her hand from Ruby's though the other girls fingers briefly gave a weak squeeze which tugged at the heiress's heart.

"I'll be right back." Weiss assured her with a brief squeeze before hurrying over to where the other 2 bottles of water were and grabbed one before hurrying back to Ruby's side.

She slid a hand underneath her helping to hold her up as she tilted the bottle to dribble water into the other girls' mouth. It was a slow process. Getting it in her mouth and to swallow though much of it still dribbled down her chin.

After a few mouthfuls she gently laid her back down and set the water aside and took the warm cloth from her head and soaked it in the dust infused water.

The half lidded eyes closed again when she seemed to half fallen entirely back into unconsciousness she started mumbling nonsense. Delusions from her horrible fever. The words were clear now that her throat wasn't so dry but it was still nonsense.

Mumbling about Yang and Zwei fighting and Crescent Rose. Weiss couldn't make anything of it.

It was well into the night as she sat at her side did Ruby mumble something that got the older girls attention.

"Weiss…"

She looked up, thinking Ruby had awaken again but her eyes were still closed.

"Why..." it was quieter this time. Weiss leaned in closer to hear whatever she was saying. As she mumbled a couple more words Weiss jerked back, mouth open in shock. As Ruby's words returned to incoherent mumbling.

With shaky hands she changed the cloth water and leaned against the cave wall beside her partner.

It was a long night for Weiss.

* * *

As soon as the sun rose Weiss found Ruby's scroll inside her bag and flipped it on, so it could be tracked.

She stayed glued to her side, doing what little she could until mid-afternoon when she heard the low humming of an airships engine. She jumped up, tripping as her numb legs gave out but scrambled to her feet and squeezed out the cave entrance, and breathed in relief as it got steadily closer.

Until it was close enough that she could see her other two teammates. Yang was half hanging out of the ship and waving at her with a wide grin.

'_Yang' _Weiss swallowed thickly. Yang was going to crucify her.

Still she began waving her arms, motioning desperately for the golden haired warrior to hurry. The grin immediately fell from Yang's face as she noticed her sister was not with Weiss. She immediately jumped from the ship, landing in the forest, Blake jumping out after her partner. It was only a few moments before Yang came running out of the forest towards her with Blake hot on her heels.

"Where's Ruby?" she yelled

"This way!" Weiss lead them into the cave and Yang rushed to her sisters side. Blake stopped next to Weiss and looked over their leader before turning to her teammate. She winced when golden eyes landed on the nasty infection on Ruby's' leg. She was also pale and her breathing eratic.

"What happened?"

Before she could say anything Yang cut her off.

"Later. We need to go." As gently as the brawler could she slid her arms under Ruby's prone form and held her to her chest as she sprinted back out the cave toward the airship, the rest of the team following.

"Medical emergency, step on it!' Yang yelled up at the pilot who was quick to get them moving.

"Weiss, what happened?" Blake asked again as they moved back to the academy. Yang didn't even glance up from her sister but she was listening.

Weiss explained to them about the Beowulf attacks on the first day and the one that had taken them by surprise.

"She said she was fine…" The heiress trailed of lamely. Blake glanced between Ruby and Weiss thoughtfully.

Ruby was stubborn and hard headed same as her sister but when it began to show signs of infection she would have told Weiss.

Two weeks ago she would have told Weiss, but…with whatever was going on between them recently? The black and yellow members of team RWBY weren't unaware of…whatever was going on between them but Yang adamantly refused to interfere with it.

'_I know something's going on, Blakey, but they need to work it out themselves. Trust me.' _

Blake wondered if Yang still felt that way nowas she clutched her sister to her chest.

Before they could even land Yang was jumping from the ship and hit the ground running without a glance to her teammates.

Weiss wanted to protest since she was carrying her sister but kept her mouth closed.

No one was more careful with their leader than Yang. Ruby was her sister and right now Weiss had no right to say anything.

A hand gently squeezed her shoulder and she glanced back at Blake's sympathetic look.

"She'll be ok. She's Ruby." The cat faunus gave her a small smile. Weiss frowned.

Ruby probably would be fine. She was stronger than she let you believe.

But…

Weiss wasn't sure _she_ would ever be fine again.

"This is my fault." She finally spoke. Gold eyes widened.

"No, Weiss this isn't..."

"Yes! It is!" She jerked away from the kind touch, turning to face Blake. "This wouldn't have happened if I wasn't such a coward!" She cried.

Blake frowned, confusion clear on her face.

"What do you mean?" She wondered. Weiss looked down at the metal floor.

"If…if I had just told her…if I hadn't been such a….bitch, she wouldn't have hid her injury from me. This wouldn't have happened."

"Weiss." Blake grabbed both the Heiresses shoulders, forcing her to look up at serious golden eyes.

"Even If Ruby had told you about her leg this still would have happened. You were in the middle of the forest with no medical supplies. You did the best you could. This isn't your fault." Blake said leaving no room for argument.

In her head Weiss knew she was right but that didn't stop the guilty twisting inside her.

"She thinks I hate her." She mumbled quietly. Blake's bow twitched, she'd heard Weiss's words clearly.

"Then prove her wrong." Blake gave a final squeeze before releasing her teammate and exited the airship, running after her partner and their leader.

Weiss watched her back for a moment before following.

* * *

The 3 active members of team RWBY sat in their room quietly.

Or Blake and Weiss sat at least. Yang was up and pacing again.

Blake's ears twitched agitatedly. She understood Yang was worried, they all were, but pacing around the room, agitating Weiss and herself wasn't going to help Ruby recover any quicker.

She glanced at Weiss and although she could tell she was irritated she wasn't going to say anything to her partners' sister. Blake sighed noiselessly through her nose.

"Yang, will you please sit down. I know you're worried, we all are, but wearing a hole in our floor isn't going to solve anything." She sighed, looking up over the cover of her book.

"It's been two days and they won't let me see her!" Yang growled turning to face her partner.

"She's still asleep so you being there won't change anything and they won't let you see her because you threatened that doctor." Blake retorted.

Yang frowned, but stopped her pacing, crossing her arms over her chest.

She glanced at Weiss who sat at her and Ruby's shared desk.

"What are you doing?" The brawler wondered aloud. Weiss glanced at her over her shoulder.

"I'm making copies of my notes for Ruby so she doesn't fall behind in class when she comes back." She answered simply. There was a pregnant pause. Blake eyed the both of them from behind her book.

"I don't get you." Yang announced. "You've been anything but nice to Ruby the last couple weeks and then you turn around and do things like this." She motioned to the desk.

Blake glanced back up from her book, ears twitching nervously. Yang and Weiss had yet to say more than a few sentences to each other since Ruby had been put in the medical ward.

With her temper and protectiveness of her sister she'd expected a confrontation between the blonde and the heiress. Maybe this was it. So much for letting them _"work it out themselves." _ Her ears flattened against her skull.

Weiss simply continued to stare into Yang's lavender eyes, waiting for whatever else she was gearing up to say.

"You've always been a little cold and callous but lately you've been a real fucking bitch." She growled

"I know…" She replied quietly as Yang's mouth opened to say something else, but the words died.

"W...what?' She blinked. Weiss laid down her pen and stood, turning around to face Yang completely, a hand on the back of her chair.

"I know. I've been a horrible person, a terrible partner and an even worse friend." She clutched the back of her chair. "There's nothing I can say to change that, but I intend to never let it happen again."

Yang's mouth opened and closed a few times. Not sure what to do now that her rant had been derailed. She looked over to Blake who smiled and gave a shrug.

Before anything else could be said Yang's scroll began to ring. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw the number for the academy flashing at her.

"Hello?"

Blake and Weiss watched her eyes widen and a grin split her face.

"That's great! Thank you." She ended the call. "Ruby's awake!" Weiss released a breath she didn't know she was holding and Blake's smile widened.

"That's great." She closed her book and stood.

"Let's go see her." As they headed for the door they noticed one person was missing.

"You coming, Weiss?" Yang asked; hand on her hip and looking questioningly at the other girl.

"I...No. You two go ahead."

"Weiss…" Blake started, meeting the heiress's eyes.

"I need…to talk to her alone…Just message me when you two are done. If she asks, tell her…I'll be there soon." A slight pleading in her voice.

Gold and lavender met for a brief moment before turning back to their teammate.

"Don't take too long, Princess." Were Yang's parting words as she walked out of the dorm room. Blake just gave a nod before following.

* * *

I had more but this seemed like a good place to stop. More to come.

**~Malthazar LOS**


	4. Working it Out

Chapter 4 – Working it out

* * *

"Yang!"

"Ruby!" Yang flew across the room and engulfed her sister in a smothering hug, electing painful squeaks from the younger girl and making her heart monitor beep faster and nearly yanking her IV out of her arm.

"You're crushing her." Blake deadpanned as she stopped at Ruby's bedside

"Sorry." Yang smiled apologetically as she released her sister.

"How do you feel?" Blake smiled at her. She certainly looked much better then she had a few days ago. She wasn't pale and sweating or unconscious.

"Better." She grinned. "Just tired.

"How could you be tired? All you've don't is sleep." Yang joked. Ruby smiled and silver eyes looked over the rooms occupants, obviously noticing her missing partner. The corners of her mouth drooped. Yang was quick to notice.

"Hey, what's wrong Rubes?" She asked though she was sure of the answer.

"Um...Where's Weiss?" She asked looking at her teammates. Blake looked at Yang.

"She's going to be by in a bit. Ozpin wanted to talk to her about something. Yang lied easily, pushing a few locks of her golden mane behind her ear. Blake glanced at her but said nothing.

"Oh. Ok." She accepted Yang's explanation with a small smile but they both noticed how her shoulders slumped.

"Cheer up Ruby. She would be here right now if she could, and hey, the doctors tell me the infection is starting to clear up already and you'll be back in class with us and sour puss in no time." Yang grinned and Ruby couldn't help but catch her sisters' infectious joy as a smile pulled harder at her lips.

"Right." Ruby suddenly slapped her hands to the side of her face. "I'm missing so much work." She moaned. Yang grinned and Blake couldn't help but smile at their friend's momentary return to herself.

"Don't worry. You were injured. The professors are quite accommodating for that and Weiss was making copies of her notes for you, and you know how she takes notes." Blake assuaged her fears.

"Yeah, if Professor Port sneezes it's in her notes." Yang rolled her eyes but Ruby smiled.

Weiss was…meticulous, to be sure. It was often a source of tension between her and Yang who was happy to just go with the flow.

"Oh, you should have seen what Nora did in class yesterday!" Yang went on a tangent, but Ruby was barely listening to her sister. Her mind drifting to her partner.

Ruby knew her sister well and while Yang thought she was the smoothest thing since ice she had her tells and Ruby had caught onto them early in her life. Yang probably wasn't aware of it but whenever she lied she pushed her hair behind her ear. Some kind of tick she had developed when they were both small and Ruby asked about her mom and the nervous blonde girl had pushed back her hair before lying through her teeth about Summer.

Was Weiss not actually coming or was she not really talking to Ozpin, or both? Ruby didn't know and it made her chest constrict painfully.

Why would Weiss want to see her? She'd completely messed up there field exercise. Her hand gently brushed her bandaged leg and winced slightly at the sting. The medical staff told her the antibiotics they'd given her were working quite fast and the infection should be cleared up in a matter of days but it was still painful to the touch.

Yang burst into laughter as she finished her story and silver eyes came back into focus. She laughed with Yang, hoping to conceal that she hadn't heard a word the blonde had said.

Her laughter turned gravely and she gave a cough. Her throat was dry and she swallowed painfully. Yang noticed and stood.

"I'll get you some water, sis." She turned and left the room leaving Blake to stare at her leader as Ruby lay back against the pillows, a frown marring her normally jubilant face.

Blake was having a hard time holding her tongue, but knew it wasn't her place to tell Ruby anything. It was Weiss's.

"Don't worry, Ruby." She said simply. Sad silver iris's swiveled to look at her, questioningly. "Weiss will be here soon…" She stopped herself before 'I promise' slipped past her lips.

Weiss was a good friend and teammate but Blake wasn't about to make a promise she herself had no control over keeping. She was sure Weiss would be on her way the moment they messaged her but on the off chance she chickened out though Blake was sure she wouldn't Ruby would be crushed.

"I know Yang was lying." She said simply. Blake blinked. "Don't tell her….but Yang has a tell, ever since we were kids." Blake opened her mouth to speak, to defend her partner but ruby beat her to it. "I know she just wants to spare my feelings, but I'd rather know the truth." Was the flat comment.

Her frown seemed to deepen. "Was she lying about Weiss coming or Ozpin?" Ruby asked looking up at her teammate.

Blake pursed her lips.

"Ozpin" She said simply.

Ruby seemed to relax a little at that.

"Then why…" She started but Blake stopped her.

'It's not my place to say. She'll be here soon." Was all she said as Yang came back through the door with a glass of water.

"Here, Ruby." She handed her the glass and Ruby took it with a small 'thanks, Yang'.

"We should let her rest, Yang." She sent her partner a meaningful look. Yang pursed her lips but gave a curt nod as she stood.

"You're right."

"B-But you guys just got here." Ruby whined. Yang leaned over and gave her sister another much softer hug.

'We'll be back later, sis, I promise." Yang grinned. "But Blake's right. You need to rest." She gave the younger girl a stern 'big sister' look.

"Ugh, fine." Their leader pouted, plopping against her pillows with a _'pwoof' _The black and yellow members of the team couldn't help but smile.

See ya later, sis." Yang ruffled her red and black hair, making her grunt and slap at her sisters hand.

"Rest well, Ruby." Blake nodded to her as they left. Once the door had closed behind them Yang frowned and pulled her scroll out of her pocket, quickly typing out a message to Weiss and hitting send.

"Wanna take a walk?" She asked slipping it back into her pocket. Blake nodded as they left the medical ward.

* * *

Weiss took a deep breath as she walked down the mostly empty hallways toward the medical ward.

Weiss Schnee was nervous.

Nervous was an understatement, actually. She was terrified.

She'd been a part of board meeting with bloodthirsty board members and morally gray business deals and was training for a life of fighting creatures of darkness for the protection of the people of the world.

All without flinching but this, this was what terrified Weiss.

A short, cheery and optimistic girl in a red hood.

Ruby was all these things and many more. At first she deemed the girl a naïve dunce of a klutz who had lucked her way into the most prestigious academy on remnant.

She had been wrong.

Ruby could be a bit naïve, but optimistically so. She wanted to believe the best of everyone around her, even Weiss. The three older members of team RWBY knew better, knew the world a little better for its harsh realities then their leader.

Perhaps she herself was just more jaded then the rest and she took every opportunity to rain on the hooded girls' parade.

The only luck that had been a part of Ruby's acceptance into Beacon was being in the right place at the right time to have Ozpin offer her a place. Ruby's skill with her chosen weapon spoke of her deserved place here.

She wasn't a dunce and while she could be a little clumsy so could everyone else at times.

Weiss mentally berated herself the entire walk, until she was standing outside a door; the folder slipped into a rack next to the door said only _'Ruby Rose'_

She was here and her mind had blanked completely. What was she even going to say? _'I'm sorry for being a bitch, I don't hate you. I actually…'_

'Ugh" Weiss let out quietly. She didn't know exactly what she was going to say, but she couldn't go on another day letting Ruby think she hated her, when it as far from the truth as she could get, though she understood very well why her partner thought it.

Squaring up her shoulders like she was walking into a business meeting, Weiss opened the door silently.

Ruby was lying in bed, turned away from her and looking out the bay window that faced the kingdom.

She watched her for a moment, taking in the IVs and the machine that gently beeped with every beat of her heart. Rather than her usual combat uniform she was wearing a hospital gown. Her cloak sat folded neatly on the bedside table, looking out of place in the white room and not draped around its owners form.

Weiss ran her tongue over suddenly dry lips and closed the door behind her.

"Ruby"

Ruby jolted, turning to look at her visitor.

"Weiss!" She smiled brightly. Causing a small smile to flitter across the heiress's face as she walked over and took a seat next her partners' bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked quietly. Ruby's hand unconsciously went to her leg.

"Better, just a little tired. They told me I should be better in a few days and can go back to class." She answered. Weiss was glad for that.

"Good. I made copies of my notes so you wouldn't get too far behind." The heiress wiggled uncomfortably in her chair. She didn't know how to broach the subject at hand.

"Yang told me. Thanks." She mumbled. Weiss nodded.

"I didn't think you were coming." Ruby hadn't thought about her words till they were out her mouth. She noticed the visible drop in the other girls' shoulders and the vanishing of her smile.

"I mean of course you..."

"I don't blame you for thinking that." Weiss stopped whatever else Ruby was going to say. "I've been horrible. I'm a horrible person." She grimaced.

'What! No! Weiss..!" Ruby started shrilly.

"Yes I am! I've been an awful partner and teammate. You should hate me." Weiss yelled back.

"How could I hate you? You're amazing and smart and beautiful and I just don't know what I did, what did I do Weiss?! Why do you hate me?!" Silver eyes wide and pleading to understand, the heart monitor was beeping frantically.

It was finally out in the open but Ruby didn't notice the lifted weight on her heart a new one bearing down on it. For the first time since she had met Weiss she watched in terrible fascination as light tears began to trek down her cheeks.

"How can you say I'm not terrible when all I've done is made you think I hate you?" She breathed.

"That's the definition of a horrible person!" She yelled standing up in frustration. "I was a coward and I ended up…" She lost steam as Ruby looked up at her with startled silver eyes that stole her breath.

Ungracefully she slumped back down in the chair with a tired sigh. Ruby watched speechless, trying to get her thumping heart back under control before a nurse burst in.

"I ended up hurting you…the last thing I ever wanted to do." She mumbled.

The room fell into a stifling silence save for the slowing heart monitor in the room.

"You said you were a coward….what were you afraid of?" Ruby finally spoke, shattering the silence.

Weiss kept her eyes trained on her lap.

"I was…afraid to tell you…She swallowed the lump in her throat. It was no or never.

Ruby blinked, waiting anxiously for whatever it was Weiss was about to drop on her.

"That I love you."

There was a long pause

"Pfft. I love you to Weiss, you're my best friend." Ruby replied as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"No you moron!" Weiss jumped up, face brighter than her partners signature hood. "Not like a friend, I _love_ you!" She stressed the word hoping beyond hope that her 16 year old leader would understand the difference.

She stood there huffing as Ruby stared back silently her face slowly changing color before the Heiress's eyes till it was the same crimson color and the beeping of the machine sped up alarmingly apparently as a nurse burst through the door.

"Miss Rose are you alright?" She hurried to the young huntress's side. Weiss stepped silently out of the way as the nurse began checking on the equipment hooked to Ruby.

"I...i'm…fine." She mumbled, jolting, just now really taking notice of the nurse in the room.

"I'll get out of your way." Weiss said quietly before hurrying out of the room. Before Ruby could voice her objections.

"Miss Rose. What happened?" The nurse asked after making sure everything was still in proper working order. Ruby swallowed trying to get her suddenly dry mouth to make words.

"N-Nothing. Just…a little excited." She managed.

* * *

Weiss didn't return to the medical ward in the 2 days before they finally released Ruby, saying her infection was on its way out, but she needed to clean and bandage the wound every night for another week.

Classes resumed as normal for the leader of team RWBY but things were not back to normal by far.

True to her word to Yang and Blake Weiss was no longer unjustly mean or cruel to Ruby, because she didn't say anything at all the hooded girl. She avoided her as best she could and Ruby said nothing. Yang and Blake merely shared confused glances and shrugs as the two spoke as little as possible.

Normally Ruby was quick to call out unusual behavior in any of her teammates but this time she knew exactly what was wrong. It was personal and private and it wasn't a conversation to be had in front of Yang and Blake.

Blake always seemed clued in and the glances she'd been giving Weiss told her that Weiss may have confided in their faunus teammate. Yang knew there was something going on, but not what unless her sister had become a much better actor while she wasn't looking, and as much as Ruby loved Yang she knew that the blonde brawler was in the dark.

So she waited for the right time, because she didn't need to think about it anymore then the few minutes after the nurse had left and what Weiss said had absorbed. She had feelings for Weiss, more than friendly ones, but Ruby wasn't as clueless as her teammates believed her to be.

She really _really_ liked Weiss but she knew that she couldn't say she loved her till she really knew her.

Weiss could say it because she knew her. Ruby bared herself to her teammates, but especially to her partner. Ruby was an open book she kept few secrets.

Weiss was more like the moon on a cloudy night. You know it's there and you catch glimpses of it when it wants you too, but for the most part it remains hidden.

She had glimpses of Weiss.

The rest she had kept hidden from view and she couldn't say for certain she loved the other girl until the sky cleared, but she knew just by the glimpses she'd seen that she wanted to see the rest if Weiss would let her.

It went on this way for 2 days after she was released before Ruby had her chance to talk to Weiss. Or more accurately made her chance.

"I'm going work out, see you girls later." Yang waved as she hung a towel over her shoulder and left the dorm.

"Later" Ruby called after her. She glanced at Weiss hunched over their shared desk working on something for Dr. Oobleck's class before looking over at Blake who sat on the edge of her bunk reading.

"Hey Blake." She called. Her bow twitched, showing that she was listening but didn't look up.

"I heard there were some new romance novels in the library, why don't you go check them out, it's pretty empty right now." She suggested.

At that Blake did look up, eyebrows disappearing into her bangs at the not so subtle message.

'_Please leave' _

Blake glanced from Ruby to Weiss who had gone still and smiled behind her book.

'_Definitely Yang's sister.' _She thought as she stood.

"That's sounds like a lovely idea. Thank you, Ruby." She smiled knowingly at her team leader before leaving.

Weiss stiffened as she heard the door click shut and she was left alone with her partner for the first time in 2 days.

"Weiss…" She started from behind her.

"I'm very busy right now, Ruby." She replied evenly at least she thought so. To Ruby it was more like a whine.

Weiss jolted back as a hand suddenly reached over and closed her book with a snap.

"This is more important than whatever you're doing." Was her simple response.

Weiss took a deep silent breath and released it before turning to face Ruby.

"Alright…what?" She kept her voice even this time. Ruby sat on the edge of her partners bottom bunk to face her.

"You know what this is about…"

'Let's just forget about it, alright." She snipped turning back to her work but Ruby reached out and grabbed her shoulder, forcing her to look back at her.

"I don't want to forget about it, I want to talk about it." She pressed. Weiss shrugged off her hand and turned back to her work.

"I don't."

Ruby pursed her lips. Weiss was too stubborn, granted this wasn't an easy conversation to have it was one they needed to have. No matter what happened if they didn't things would always be awkward for them.

"Fine. Just sit there and listen then." She said. Weiss didn't move to turn and face her but didn't look to be opening her book either though her eyes were trained on it.

"I know …that telling me how you felt was difficult." She started. "I know that's why you've been so…mean to me the last couple weeks." She rubbed her hands on her skirt. They were a little sweaty. Weiss's shoulders tensed.

"But I'm not mad about any of it, because now I understand. " Weiss's head twitched like she wanted to turn to look at her but caught herself and stayed still.

"You ran off so quick the other day that I didn't get say what I wanted to say. So…I'm going to say it now." Her eyes trained on some spot on the floor. She missed the pale blue eyes glancing sideways at her as she rubbed her sweating palms on her skirt.

"I like you, Weiss. A lot. Like…more than...friends or teammates." So intently starring at the floor she didn't see Weiss finally turn just the barest hint to look at her.

"But...i can't say I love you…I don't know you well enough. You never open up…to any of us." She glanced up between her bangs and caught Weiss's eyes. Pale blues flicked away but Ruby could still clearly see the pink dusted across her cheeks.

"I want to know all of that though, if you'll let me…so…what I'm trying to say is…Will you go out with me Weiss?" Her face heated up when the words finally left her mouth, glad she was no longer hooked up to the heart monitor, it would have been going off like crazy.

The pink turned a darker red across the heiress's face as Ruby waited patiently for an answer.

After a minute she looked up to find Weiss starring at her intently and the red crawled down her neck, but Weiss wasn't much better off.

She gave a slow but sure nod.

"Yes"

* * *

Next one soon guys. R&amp;R thanks

**~Malthazar LOS**


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